Spaghetti Pie

I love making this meal toward the end of the week because it's a great one to have on hand in the fridge for weekend leftovers.  Or, on that note, I suppose it would also be good to make on Monday night so it's available for any "good sport nights" throughout the week.  (good sport night = nights where the answer to "what's for dinner?" is to "open the fridge and be a good sport!")  My kids all eat this great and it reheats really well.  Plus an added bonus is that it smells SO good while preparing it. 

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe fills a 9x13 pan and will feed 8-12 people depending on how many are adults and/or kids.  You can cut in half easily for an 8x8 or a round cassarole dish.  It would also freeze well.  To do that, just prepare everything as indicated below and then stick it in the freezer.  Then thaw before cooking.  If you don't have the time to thaw it in the fridge prior to baking it, I'd add about 30 minutes to the bake time.

Ingredient List:

12oz spaghetti noodles

4 eggs

3T butter

2T parsley flakes

1 1/2t salt (divided)

2/3c + 1/2c grated parmesan cheese

2c cottage cheese

1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

1t Italian seasoning

1 lb ground sausage

48 oz spaghetti sauce

Layer 1 - Noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan.  Place butter in with noodles and stir until melted.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and then stir in parsley flakes, 1t salt and 2/3c parmesan cheese.  Pour egg mixture over noodles - stirring fairly rapidly until all noodles are coated.  Layer in 9x13 pan. (no need to grease pan - the delicious butter helps with this!)

Layer 2 - Cheese Filling
Combine in bowl: cottage cheese, 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2c parmesan cheese, 1/2t salt and Italian dressing.  Spread evenly over noodles in pan.

Layer 3 - Sauce
Brown sausage.  Pour sauce over sausage in pan and heat through.  Pour on top of cheese layer in pan.

(this is where you'd cover and stick it in the freezer if you are saving it for later)

Cover pan with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove cover, sprinkle 1c shredded mozzarella cheese on top and return to oven for 5-10 more minutes.  You want all edges to be bubbly and the all the cheese to be nicely melted.

And there you have it!